1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a roadside control device for checking the correct operation of a toll apparatus which is installed in a motor vehicle passing the control device and exhibiting an identifying license plate, the toll apparatus performing a satellite-supported electronic toll deduction.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
From EP 0 691 013 B1, the content of disclosure of which is included in the present application by reference, an electronic deduction system is known by means of which utilization charges can be collected from vehicles which move through a predetermined geographic zone or a chargeable road distance (utilization charges=toll). The known system provides that in each motor vehicle, a toll apparatus is installed which has a receiver for the signals of a navigation satellite system such as, e.g., GPS (Global Positioning System) or Glosnar and is provided with an electronic memory in which the chargeable road distances and the geographic zones (in the text which follows, only chargeable roads or road distances are mentioned, to simplify matters) and the respectively associated utilization tariffs are listed. Using the signals of the navigation satellite system, the toll apparatus has access to the current geographic position of the vehicle at any time and recognizes from the stored data concerning the chargeable road distances whether the motor vehicle is on a chargeable road distance or not and can automatically determine the toll amounts which may be due in this manner. To ensure completely anonymous deduction of the toll amounts, the known system provides for the use of debit cards (e.g. chip card) on which the respectively due toll amounts are deducted by the toll apparatus.
However, this method of collecting the toll amounts, which can be carried out with comparatively little expenditure, in principle opens up a number of possibilities for deception by the operator of the respective vehicle. Suitable precautions for detecting corresponding actions of misuse are therefore mandatory.
From EP 0 701 722 B1, a toll apparatus is known which exhibits for this purpose a device for self monitoring for unauthorized manipulations at the individual components of the toll apparatus and an error memory for recording diagnostic data in the case of an unauthorized manipulation. If an unauthorized manipulation occurs, the toll apparatus can send out a signal indicating the improper operation of the apparatus via a corresponding signal device.
Naturally, this presupposes that the apparatus itself is switched on and that the signal device has not been switched off or otherwise manipulated.
Furthermore, from EP 0 700 561, a toll apparatus is known which has a signal device via which diagnostic data which provide information on the operability of the toll apparatus or of its individual components, respectively, can be interrogated wirelessly from the outside. Using the transmitted diagnostic data, it should be possible to determine both non-payers and wrong payers who pay for their road utilization in a wrong class of charges. This document does not provide more detailed information on the external monitoring devices which are intended to determine and trace the road misuse.
From GB 2 295 476 A, a roadside control device for checking the correct operation of a toll apparatus which is installed in a motor vehicle passing the control device and exhibiting an identifying license plate is known, wherein the toll apparatus performs a satellite-supported electronic toll deduction. For this purpose, the control device exhibits a communication device for the wireless exchange of information between the control device and the toll apparatus in the passing vehicle. The toll apparatus is capable of determining toll amounts by means of time-dependent utilization tariffs and of deducting these amounts electronically from a credit value stored in an accompanying credit card. When a motor vehicle passes the control device, the facilities of the control device are activated by the triggering of a corresponding signal of an optical sensor. The communication device of the control device transmits to the vehicle which is just passing a data inquiry which must be answered within a predetermined time. The response of the vehicle is then checked by the control device for the presence of an error code. An error code is stored by the toll apparatus if the enforcement light visible to the outside is damaged, if the credit value in the storage card becomes negative and if the antenna of the communication device has been shielded over a certain period of time and thus was not ready to receive. If no error code is detected, the control device assumes that the toll apparatus is working correctly. If, on the other hand, an error code is detected or no dialog can be established between the passing vehicle and the control device, a camera is activated which takes a photograph of the vehicle.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,505 also discloses a roadside control device for operating a toll apparatus in motor vehicles which pass the control device. The toll apparatus performs a satellite-supported electronic toll deduction. In this process, single amounts are deducted whenever the vehicle has passed a virtual toll station, the position data of which are stored in the toll apparatus. In addition, the toll apparatus also has the position data of control stations and when these are being passed, it automatically transmits certain control data to a central station by means of digital mobile radio. Cameras installed at the control station record all passing vehicles and their license plates and forward this information to the central station. At this station, the images are evaluated and compared with the control data in each case transmitted by the vehicle, the content of which data is not explained in greater detail. If there is no correlation between the data compared, then a report is generated in the central station in order to pursue the matter further manually. If there is correlation, then the data transmitted to the central station are deleted.